1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual ended hair remover having depilating and epilating functions for removing hair from a user, and more particularly, to a dual ended hair remover having a casing with a depilating head fixed at one end thereof, an epilating head fixed at the opposite end thereof, and a handle which covers one of the depilating and epilating heads at a time while providing power to drive the other one of the depilating and epilating heads.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shaving devices are known which have multiple heads mounted thereon. The heads may either be permanently affixed to a casing having a motor or may be interchangeable. Such a device may even include a depilating head and an epilating head. A depilating head cuts hairs from the skin of a user, whereas an epilating head plucks (pulls) the hair from the skin of the user.
JP 4-348704, published Dec. 3, 1992 to Iwasaki, discloses a main body in which a motor is contained, an epilating block in which epilating means is contained and a trimmer. Both the epilating block and the trimmer are permanently affixed to one end of the main body, and they both operate simultaneously. The epilating block is at one side and the trimmer is at the other side of the same end, with the depilating block and the trimmer being in close proximity with each other. By being in close proximity with each other, there is a risk of injuring one's self through unintentional contact with the one of the depilating block and trimmer which is not intended to be used at a given time. In addition, as both the depilating block and trimmer operate simultaneously, although one is being used at a given time, unnecessary power is being used to drive the epilating/depilating appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,049 issued Jun. 27, 1972 to Demci et al. discloses different operating heads as separate units for individual operation. The operating heads are both trimmers, which are interchangeable with each other at the same end of the casing 11. The two different types of trimmers are mounted one at a time to the casing 11. As a result, effort is required to interchange the two heads to perform the two different types of trimming and extra wearing of the components result from the repeated changing of the heads. Both heads are trimmers, and neither one performs the function of epilation. Also, as only one head is mounted at a time, the unmounted head may easily be lost by the user when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,804 issued Mar. 18, 1997 to Heintke et al. discloses a casing 2 which is adapted to receive a first attachment incorporating an epilating cylinder, or alternatively, a second attachment incorporating a long-hair trimmer. The first and second attachments are interchangeable with each other at a same end of the casing 2. Although Heintke et al. performs both the epilating and depilating functions, the appliance disclosed therein suffers from a number of the same drawbacks as are present in Demci et al. Namely, additional effort is required to replace the epilating head with the depilating head, and vice versa, when alternating between the epilating and depilating functions, and extra wearing of the components result from the repeated changing of the heads. Also, the unattached head may easily be lost by the user when not in use.
Other devices are known which have a shaving head and a long-hair trimmer at a same end of a casing, wherein either the shaver is in operation or both the shaver and the long-hair trimmer are in operation. In these devices, it is often easy to accidentally activate the long-hair trimmer, causing possible injury to the user when such operation is unaccounted for. Further, through the simultaneous operation of both the shaver and the long-hair trimmer, unnecessary power is required to drive both heads. Still further, such devices do not enable the epilation function to be performed.